Annealing apparatus



Aug. 10 1926.

H. BLOUNT ANNEALI NG APPARATUS Filed Dec. 9, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 m: wm

Aug. 10 1926.

H.BLOUNT ANNEALING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 9, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 101926. 1,595,139

H. BLOUNT ANNEALING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 9. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patnted Au 10, 1926 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY BLOUNT, 01? OAK BARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR '10 WESTERN ELECTRIC COM-PANY, DECOBPOBATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ANNEALING APPARATUS.

Application filed December 9, 1924. Serial No. 754,712.

This invention relates to annealing apparatus, and more particularly toan annealing apparatus for brightsurfaced materials such as copper wireand the like.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved annealingapparatus by means of which the annealing of bright surfaced materialssuch as copper wire carried on spools, may be rapidly and efficientlyaccomplished without tarnishing the surfaces thereof.

In accordance with the general features of the invention, there isprovided interconnected material receiving, annealing and coolingchambers, the inlet end of the annealing chamber being sealed by a liuid and the outlet end thereof as well as t e inlet and outlet ends ofthe cooling chamber being sealed against the entrance of air by a vapor-29 ous medium which may be steam introduced at opposite ends of thecooling chamber. The steam is introduced through a steam chest at apoint below the materialbeing moved through the annealing apparatus bythe successive charging thereof from the receiving chamber which chamberis provided with hydraulic material propelling and elevating means.

.In one form of the charging apparatus a common hydraulic apparatus and-'anassociated leverage system controls the propelling of the materialonto an elevator and the removal therefrom and charging it into theheating chamber, a separate hydraulic apparatus controlling the movementof the elevator. In another form of the charging apparatus independenthydraulic apparatuses move the material to an elevator, raise it andcharge it into the heating chamber. In both forms the hydraulicapparatuses. are automatically operated in the roper sequence to chargethe heating chamher and finally to return to their normalpositionsthrough a system of interconnected levers, links, and valves.

It is believed that the invention will be clearly understood from thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawingsillustrating one embodiment of the invention, in which- Fig. 1 is a viewin side elevation of an annealing apparatus embodying the features ofthe invent1on;' s

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view of one type ofcharging apparatus which may be associated therewith;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view of a modifiedform of the charging apparatus;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the steam inlet at theright hand end of the cooling chamber;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 looking inthe direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a schematic view of the valves, piping and controllingapparatus for the ydraulic apparatus illustrated in Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a side view of a portion of the controlling apparatus taken onthe line 77 of Fig. 6 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows,and

Fig. 8 is a schematic view of the modified form of apparatus illustratedin Fig. 3.

As shown in the drawings, 10 designates the charging end of theannealing appa ratus, 11 the heating chamber, and 12 the coolingchamber, all suitably connected together. The charging end, as clearlyshown in Figs. 1 and 2, consists of a receiving chamber 15 equipped witha horizontally disposed roller track 16 upon which are cases 1717containing the material, such as spools or coils of copper wire, to beannealed. The chamber 15 contains water to a height as indicated by adotted line 19, thus sea ing the input end of the annealing apparatusagainst the ingress of air. At the left hand end of the roller track 16is an elevator 20 which receives one at a time the cases 17 from theroller track 16, the .cases being removed from the track 16 by a pusher21, the operation of which will be described hereinafter. The elevator20 is elevated and lowered by any suitable hydraulic apparatus indicatedat 22. The elevator 20 in moving upwardly carries the case 17 to thelevel of the floor or track (not shown) provided in the heating chamber11 and in front of a second pusher 23, which isoperated simultaneouslywith the first pusher 21 only in a reverse direction to push thepositioned case within the heating chamber 11. The two ushers 21 and 23are interconnected by links 26, bell crank levers 27 links 28, levers 29and links 30, the levers 27 and 29 being suitably pivoted as indicatedat 32 and 33, respectively. One arm 35 of the bell crank lever 27 isconnected to another hydraulic apparatus indicated at 36 through a link37. Upon operation of the hydraulic apparatus 36 from the positionindicated in the drawings it will be apparent that the. bell crank lever27 will be turned clockwise about its pivot 32, which movement, throughthe links 26, causes the pusher 23 to be returned to the right hand sideof the elevator 20 in which position it will be ready to remove anothercase 17 from the elevator 20L It will also be apparent that with thismovement to the right of the pusher 23 the pusher 21 through itsconnection with the lever 27 as hereinhefore described will push a case17 upon the elevator 20. the elevator at this time being lowered withits floor portion in line with the rollertrack 16. Each of the pushers21 and 23 is guided in its movement by a pair of guide plates or tracks.one of which is indicated at 38, supported upon either side wall of thechamber 15 and in which shoes (not shown) mounted upon either end ofrods 39 suitably carried by the pushers 21 and 23 ride. It will bereadily understood that the various links and levers interconnecting thepushers 21 and 23 are arranged in pairs, one being at either side of thechamber 15 although not shown in the drawings. Also that a piston rod 40of the hydraulic apparatus 36 is connected to a cross head 42 which isguided in its movement up and down by a pair of guide plates or tracks,one of which is indicated at 43 within which ride shoes (not shown)carried by the cross head 42, the plates 43 being upon either side wallof the chamber 15.

The operation of the charging apparatus illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2will be described with particular reference to the diagrammaticillustration of the controlling means shown in Fig. 6.

In Figs. 2 and 6 the pusher 21 has just been returned to its normalposition and an attendant has positioned a case 17 indicated in dottedoutline in front thereof. 'At 44 and 45 are indicated suitable hydraulicvalves for controlling the flow of the hydraulic medium which may bewater under pressure from the supply line 46 to the hydraulicapparatuses 22 and 36, respectively. The valve 44 is opened by moving asuitably pivoted lever 47 in a clockwise direction to the positionindicated in dotted outline, the lever 47 being mounted upon the valvestem 48. The water will now flow through the passage or pipe 50 andabove a piston 51 of the hydraulic apparatus 22 and cause the elevator20 to be lowered, the water below the piston passing through a pipe52,through the valve 44 and out of a pipe 53 into the receiving chamber15, which chamber is provided with an overflow outlet indicated at 49(Fig. 2). Depending from one side face of the elevator 20 is a plate 54mounting suitably spaced pins 55 and 56 which alternately contact, uponthe lowering and raising of the elevator 20, with opposite faces of oneend of a lever 60 pivot ed as indicated at 61 (Fig. 7) to the valve 45,the opposite end of this lever being pivotally connected to the valvestem 62. As the elevator 20 descends and near the bottom of itsmovement, the lever 60 engages the pin 55 which causes the lever 60 tobe turned counter-clockwise about the pivot 61 and operate the valve 45which will cause the water to flow through a pipe 63 and below .a piston64 of the hydraulic apparatus 36 which will cause the pusher 23 to bemoved to the right through the links and levers as hereinbeforedescribed, the pusher 21 simultaneously moving to the left and movingthe case 17 positioned in front of the last case 17 mounted upon theroller tracks 16 into position upon the elevator 20.

The water above the piston 64 passes through a pipe 65, the valve 45 andout of a pipe 66 into the receiving chamber 15. Sea cured to onevertical end face of the pusher 21 is a bracket 67 reciprocablysupporting in one arm thereof one end of a rod 68, the opposite endthereof being suitably connected to the lever 47. Suitably spaced andsecured upon the rod 68 is a collar 69. As the pusher 21 nears the endof its loading stroke, the bracket 67 engages the collar 69 and throughthe rod 68 causes the lever 47 to be turned counter-clockwise to itsinitial position, thus operating the valve 44 and causing the water toflow through the pi e 52 and below the piston 51 which causes the loadedelevator 20 to move'upwardly' to position a case of material in front ofthe pusher 23. Upon the elevator 20 nearing the end of its upwardstroke, the lever 60 engages the pin 56 which causes the lever 60 to beturned clockwise, thus operating the valve 45 and causing the water toflow through the pipe 65 and above the-piston 64, thereby causing thepusher 23 to push the case 17 carried upwardly by the elevator 20,toward the left and against the case 17 which was previously movedtoward the left. Thus the last mentioned case is to be moved further inits course through the chamber 11 when each successive case is chargedinto the heating chamber 11, and the train of cases is advanced throughthe annealing at paratus, each case finally emerging from te coolingchamber 12. During the movement of the pusher 23 to the position lastdescribed. the pusher 21 through its interconnection therewith is beingmoved to its initial starting position as shown in the drawings. Withthe apparatus in this position another case 17 may be positioned infront of the pusher 21, the lever 47 moved in clockwise direction andthe same se uence of movements will take place as herein efore describedto charge the heating chamber 11 with another case 17 of material to beannealed.

The heating chamber 11 may be of the type described and illustrated inPatent No. 1,508,135 issued September 9, 1924, and to which referencemay be had for a more detailed description. At the point of connectionbetween the outlet end of the heating chamber 11 and the cooling chamber12 is an annular ring like member 72 (Figs. 1, 4, and 5), through thecenter of which the cases 17 pass during the annealing operation.Between the inner and outer circumferential walls of member 72 is anannular channel or steam chest 73 provided at its top with a steam inlet74 and diametrically opposite thereto is an outlet 75 for drainingpurposes. As clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5 an arcuate slot or channel76 is formed in the left hand side wall of the chest 73 at the bottomthereof and through which the steam passes into the cooling chamber 12.The steam entering the chamber 12 at this point serves to seal the exitof the associated heating chamber 11 as well as to remove moisture fromthe material in the cases 1717. The cooling chamber 12 along with theroller track 71 (Fig. 4) mounted therein upon which the cases 17 move issloped downward toward its outlet end at such an angle as to reduce thepower required by the pusher 23 to push the cases 1717 therethrough.Steam is also introduced into the cooling chamber 12 adjacent the outletend by an inlet pipe indi cated by the numeral 77 which steam cooperateswith that introduced through the inlet' 74 at the opposite end of thechamber and the sloping chamber to form a steam pocketin the coolingchamber. This steam pocket serves to exclude air from entering at theoutlet end of the cooling chamber, thereby preventing the discoloring ofthe material within the cases 1717 by reason. of the fact that thematerial is absolutely prevented from contact with the atmosphere untilit has been cooled below a temperature at which it would ordinarilyoxidize or discolor. An outlet pipe is provided as indicated at 78adjacent the outlet end of the chamber 12 for the used steam. Ahorizontal] hinged door 80 is mounted at the outlet end of the chamber12 in such a manner that it is opened by the discharge of the movingcase 17 and immediately closes through the action of gravitj: A rollerrunway 81 is provided down w ich the cases 17 of annealed material rollupon being discharged from the chamber 12.

The cooling chamber 12 is water jacketed along itsentire length and inthe present embodiment is divided into seven separate sections, each ofwhich is connected to a main water line or pipe 82 by a branch pipe 83,the passage of water therefrom to each of the separate jacketssurrounding the chamber 12 being regulated by a valve 84. The outlet endof each of the jackets except the first one to the left of the annealingfurnace 11 may be connected to the inlet end of the adjacent jacket by apipe 85 or to a waste pipe 86 by manipulating suitably arranged valves88 and 89. It will thus be readily understood that the water may becaused to flow first into the extreme left hand section of the jacketand thence through each of the'jackets in succession by closing all thevalves 84 except the one associated with this jacket and also closingall the valves 88 except the one associated with the section adjacent tothe left hand end of the annealing furnace 11 through which the waterwill pass to the waste line 86 after passing through all the jackets.Each section of the water jacket may be supplied separately through thesupply pipe 82 and connected to its respective waste pipe 86 by openingall the valves 84 and 88 and closing all the valves 89.

In the system of cooling the chamber 12 first discussed the water entersthe first jacket and as it circulates successively through each of thejackets the temperature will rise due to its absorption of heat from thematerial being treated so that the material will be gradually cooled asit nears the discharge end of the chamber. By regulating the rate offlow of the water through the jackets in succession or by circulatingwater through each section separately from the supply pipe 82 bymanipulating the valves 84, 88, and 89, the temperature within thecooling chamber may be regulated to a degree which has been found bypractice to be best suitable for the material being treated.

Figs. 3 and 8 illustrate a slightly different type of charging apparatusin which separate hydraulic apparatuses 92, 93, and 94 are provided forrespectively operating the pusher 21 to load a. case 17 of material tobe annealed upon the elevator 20, for raising the elevator with the caseupwardly to a position in front of the pusher 23 and for operating thepusher 23 to remove the case from the elevator and charging it into theheating chamber 11.

In describing the operation of the charging-apparatus illustrated inFigs. 3 and 8, particular reference will be made to the diagrammaticillustration of the controllin means shown in Fig. 8. The positions 0theparts as shown in Figs. 3 and 8 are those obtaining atithe' end of acycle of movements in which the pusher 21 has re-. turned to itsstarting position and an attendant has positioned a case 17 in frontthereof. Valves 95, 96, and 97 control the operation of the hydraulicapparatuses-92,

93, and 94, respectively. The valve- 97 is operated by the turning of ahandle 98 counter-clockwise to the position indicated in dotted outline(Fig. 8) whereupon water will flow from the supply line 46 through apipe 99 and behind a piston 100 of the hydraulic apparatus 94 and causethe pusher 23 to push the case 17 from the elevator 20 and into theheating chamber 11. By the successive charging of the cases into theheating chamber, one case in contact with the one just previouslentered, they are progressively moved t rough the heating and coolingchambers. The water in front of the piston 100 passes through a pipe103, the valve 97 and out of a pipe 104 into the receiving chamber 15which contains water to a height as indicated by the dotted line 19(Fig. 3). As the pusher 23 reaches the end of its charging stroke itengages and turns a lever 105 counter-clockwise about a pivot 106. Oneend of the lever 105 is connected to one end of a link 107 the oppositeend of the link being connected to one arm of a bell crank lever 110pivoted at 111. The other arm of the bell crank lever 110 is connectedto a valve operating lever 112 mounted upon the valve 96 by a link 113.Thus due to the movement given the lever 105 by the pusher 23;as itnears the end of its stroke and the links and levers interconnecting thelever 105 with the valve lever 112 the valve is operated, whereuponwater will flow from the supply line 46 through a pipe 115 and above apiston 116 of the hydraulic apparatus 93 and thereby cause the elevator20 to be lowered to a position where the pusher 21 may load another caseof material thereon. As the piston descends, the water below it passesthrough a pipe 117, the valve 96 and out of a pipe 118 into thereceiving chamber 15. Associated with the elevator 20 is a lever 119pivoted at 123 and adapted at its ends as indicated at 124 and 125 to beengaged by the elevator 20 upon nearing the ends of its upward anddownward strokes. One end of the lever 119 is connected by a link 126 toa valve operating lever 120 mounted upon the valve 95. Thus upon theelevator engaging the portion125 of the lever 119 the valve 95 will beoperated through the link 126 and water will flow from the supply line46 through a pipe 127 and behind a piston 130 of the hydraulic apparatus92 thus causing the pusher 21 to position another case upon the elevator20. The water in front of the piston 130 passes through a pipe 131, thevalve 95 and out of a pipe 132 into the receiving chamber 15. The pusher21 near the endof its loading stroke causes the-handle 98 to be turnedclockwise to its initial position as indicated in the drawings,

through a pin 133 engaging one arm of a bell crank lever 134 pivoted at135, the

movement of the lever 134 about its pivot in a clockwise direction beingtransmitted to the handle 98 by a link 136 connecting another arm of thelever 134. In this position of the handle 98 water flows through thepipe 103 and in front of the piston 100, thereby causing the pusher 23to return to its initial position. As it nears the end of its returnstroke the pusher 23 engages a lever 142 pivoted at 143 and connected atits lower end to the link 107. The lever is thus turned in a clockwisedirection about itspivot and through the link 107, bell crank lever 110and link 113 the lever 112 is returned to its initial position therebyallowing water to flow through the pipe 117 and below the piston 116,thereb raising the elevator 20 with the case 1 to a position in front ofthe pusher 23 ready for the next charging stroke of the pusher 23. Uponnearing the end of its upward stroke the elevator engages the portion124 of the lever 119 and turns the lever in a clockwise direction aboutits ivot and through the connecting link 126 tiie valve operating lever120 is returned to its initial position thereby allowing water to flowthrough the pipe 131 and in front of the piston 130, the movement ofwhich to the right returns the usher 21 to its initial position asillustrated in the drawings. In this position of the apparatus anothercase 17 may be positioned in front of the pusher 21 and upon moving thehandle 98 counter-clockwise the same sequence of movements will takelace as hereinbefore described to charge t e heating chamber 11 withanother case 17 of material to be annealed.

The introduction of steam at the outlet end of the cooling chamber alongwith the introduction of steam at the inlet end thereof provides apositive seal for the cooling chamber against the ingress of air andalso a more uniform distribution of steam throughout the chamber. Thusoxidation or discoloring of the material being treated is positivelyavoided.

The feature of introducing the steam into the cooling chamber at a pointbelow the material passing therethrough is mainly to insure the fillingof thetube with steam to exclude air therefrom upon starting theapparatus up again after a period idleness.

An annealing apparatus of the hereinbe fore described type embodyingmeans for automatically controlling the operation of the materiallifting, introducing and loading means in proper sequence results in avery efiicient and rapid operation of the apparatus. I

What is claimed is:

1 In an annealing apparatus, an annealing chamber comprisinginterconnected heating and cooling portions, a seal at the input end ofthe chamber", and means for introducing a vaporous medium into theannealing chamber adjacent the inlet and outlet ends of the coolingportion thereof to form seals therefor.

B 2. In an annealing apparatus, an annealing chamber comprislnginterconnected heating and cooling portions, a water seal for the input.end of theannealing chamber, and means for introducing steam into thean- 1 nealing chamber adjacent the inlet and outlet ends of the coolingportion and in close proximity to the bottom thereof to vform sealstherefor.

3. In an annealing apparatus, an annealing chamber comprisinginterconnected heating and cooling portions, 'a chamber containingliquid located below the input end of the annealing chamber forreceiving the material to be annealed and sealing said end againstingress of air, means for introducing a vaporous medium into theannealing chamber adjacent the junction of the heating portion and thecooling portion to form a seal, and means for introducing a vaporousmedium within the cooling portion adjacent the outlet end thereof. 1

4. In an"annealing apparatus, an annealing chamber comprisinginterconnected heating and cooling portions, 'a chamber con tainingliquid and located below the input end of the annealing chamber adaptedto receive the material to be annealed and seal said end against ingressof air, means for lifting the material from; said receiving chamber tosaid input end, means for loading said lifting means and movingittherethrough, and commonmeans for controlling the operation of saidmaterial lifting, introducing and loading means in a predeter mined.sequence. 7

5. In an annealing apparatus, an annealing chamber comprisinginterconnected heating and cooling ortions, a chamber containing liquidlocate below the input end of the annealing chamber adapted to receivethe material to be annealed and seal said end against ingress of air,"separate fluid operated means for lifting the material from saidreceiving chamber to said input end, loading the lifting means andintroducing the material into the annealing chamber from the liftingmeans and moving it therethrough, and means for controlling theoperation of said material lifting, introducing and loading means in apredetermned sequence. 6. Inanannealing apparatus, an annealing chambercomprising interconnected heating and cooling portions, a chambercontaining liquid and located below the input end of the annealingchamber ada ted toreceive the material to be anneale and seal said endagainst ingress of air, an elevator for lifting the material from saidreceiving chamber to said input end, means acting ina horizontaldirection for loading the elevator, means acting in a horizontaldirection for introducing the material into the annealing chamberfromnthe elevator and moving it therethrough, and means for controllingthe operation of said materialelevating, introducingand loading means ina predetermined sequence.

7. In an anneahng apparatus, an annealing chamber comprisinginterconnected heatingand cooling portions, a chamber con taining liquidand located below the input end of the annealing chamber adapted toreceive the material to be annealed and seal said end against ingress ofair, reciprocably mounted means for lifting the material from 7 andintroducing means.

8. In an annealing. apparatus, anannealing chamber comprismginterconnected heating and cooling portions, a chamber containing liquidlocated below the input end of the annealing chamber adapted to receivethemate'rial to be annealed and seal said end against ingress of air, aplurality of fluid controlled reciprocably operating means for liftingthe material from said receiving chamber to said input end, for loadingsaid lifting means and for introducing the material into the annealingchamber from said lifting means and moving it therethrough, and a systemof levers interconnecting said material loading and introducing meansand actuated by one of said res ciprocably operating means.

9. In an annealing apparatus, an anneal-' ing chamber comprisinginterconnected heating and cooling portions, a chamber containingliquidlocated below the input end of the annealing chamber adapted toreceive the material to be annealed and seal said end against ingress ofair, reciprocablymounted means for lifting the material from saidreceiving chamber tosaid input end, for loading said lifting means andfor introducing the material into the annealing chamber from saidlifting means and moving it therethrough, common fluid controlled meansfor actuating the loading and introducing means simultaneously inopposite directions, and fluid controlled means for actuating thelifting means. a

In witnesswhereof, I hereunto subscribe my'name this 26th day ofNovember A. D., I

' HARRY BLOUNT;

